Apparatus for annealing metal



F. GlEsEcKE l APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING METAL Filed April 21, 1925 l tivegas.

Paenea ne.; 19,1928,

e UNITED STATESv -imrrz Gmsacxn, or num, am.

APPARATUS ron NNEA'LING METAL.

rApplication tied April 21, 1925, Serial No'. 24,716, and in Germany Iay80, 1824.

My inventionwelates to improvements. in the method of and apparatus forannealing metal, and more particularly in the method in which the heatedmetal, such as wire, is cooled within an atmosphere of a protec- One ofthe objects of the improvements is to provide a method in which theinjurious elect ot the protective gas on the metal is reduced, and "withthis object in view my invention consists in cooling the heated metal invacuo, so that the amount of protective gas acting on the metal isreduced. In carrying out my improved method I make use of a receptacleadapted to receive the metal to be cooled and having a supply ofprotective gas, which supply mcludes means for controlling the pressureof the gas within the receptacle. |lhe protective medium is supplied tothe apparatus either in gaseous form, or in liquid form, said liquidbeing vaporized within the said receptacle.

For the purpose of explaining the invention two structures suitable forputting the method into effecthave been shown in the accompanyingdrawing in which the same reference characters have been used in all theviews to indicate' corresponding parts. In said drawing, l

Fig. 1, is a sectionalelevation showing the apparatus, the protect-ivemedium being supplied to the cooling receptacle in a liquid state andgasified at the bottom of the said receptacle, and

Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation showing means for controlling the gaswithin the cooling receptacle, said means being included in a supplypipe for gaseous protective medium. I

In the example shown in Fig. 1 the apparatus consists of a receptacle aadapted to have a container b placed therein, and provided with a coverc for tightly closing the same. As shown a liquid seal is provided fortightening the cover c, said seal comprising an annular cup dsurrounding the top part of the receptacle a and having a supply ofwater through' a pipe y and a delivery of water through a pipe y1. Thecover c is formed with a flange 01 projecting downwardly therefrom andinto the liquid confined within the cup d. Preferably the cover c isprovided with agconcentric Harige f adapted to insulate the liquid sealfrom the 'hot container b. The container b is designed to receive themetal to be cooled, and it--isl providedl with a lid b1.

I InA a. lateral ortion d1 of the cup d a casing g is locate which`casing is adapted to recelve a suitable protective liquid. At its bottomthe said casing communicates through a tubular portion nlk with a casingn closed at its top by a lid n2, and containing a float p. The saidfloat carries a needle valve o adapted to control the delivery of theprotective liquid from the casing g. The

casing n communicates through a Siphon and a pipe k with a spout iadapted to deliver the protective liquid to the bottom part of lthereceptacle a, and below the spout z' there is a pan adapted to gatherthefliquid discharged from the spout i for gradually vaporizing thesame. Above the spout z' there is a hood m.

'I he Siphon comprises a tubular member- 1', which is closed at itstop/and open at its bottoni, and which encloses the top part of 4 thepipe h projecting into the same to a point at aV higher level than theliquid .conf tained within the casing n. The receptacle a is connectedby a pipe u with a vacuum apparatus. into the receptacle a and puttingthecover con the said receptacle, a vacuum is pro. duced within thereceptacle a through the pipe u. rlherefore the protective liquid riseswithin'the tubular member r and to the top part thereof, whereuponit'tlows downward- After placing the container b ly to the pipe la and afilter s to the spout z.

The liquid discharged from the said spout is gathered by the pan andvaporized. Thus the vacuum within the receptacle a depends on thediiierence ot" the ,levels within the casing n and the tubular member r.By raising or lowering the pipe h within the tubular member r the vacuumwithin the reeeptacle a may be -varied as desired. ,',lhe

by liquid from thecasing g. Z is an eX-. haust valve.-

ln some cases it is desirable to supply protective liquid to thereceptacle/a independently of the vacuum produced within the receptacle.For this purpose a rod w is passed through the lid n2 and into thecasing n, and by means of the said rod the float p may be presseddownwardly by hand for opening the valve o. AThe rod m is acted upon bya spring m1. Whendepressing the 'loat p the casing n is filled withprotective liquid taken from the casing n is replaced l 2i' pipe h isconnected-With a coolingrecep- Itacle suchas has been described withVrefer- In Fig. 2 I have shown a modification of themeans for controllingthe vacuum,'which means are designed for use in connection with acooling receptacle having a supply `of Avthe protective medlum in`gaseous forx'nf.V As shownthe said apparatus comprises a casing rwclosed at its top by a ylid lw1 and'fjpartly l filled with a suitable liuid vi Throiiglithe lid w1 a supply pipe t or the protective gas .ispassed downwardly and to the bottom of the casing fw. 'A. second pipeopens through the said lid-into the top part of the casing w andabovethe level. of the liquid fv. The pipe t is connected with a supply of al.suitable gaseous protective medium, and the ence to Fig. 1. l p

As long as-there is no vacuum Within the receptacle a the levels of theliquid Within the casing w and the pipe t are alike, and there is'noVsupply ofl protective gas to the receptacle a'. When reducing thepressure Within the receptacle a the liquid within the pipe t sinks,until gaseous protective medium flowsV from the ipe t and through thebody of the liquid o, t ie vacuum maintained within `the receptacle acorresponding to the difference between the level of the liquid 'v andthe bottom part of the pipe t. v

lVhile in describing the invention reference has been made -toparticular examples vembodying the same I Wish it to be linderstood thatmy invention is not limited to the use of Vthe apparatus shown in thedrawing.

l claim:

l. An apparatus for cooling annealed metal, con'iprising a containeradapted-to receive the metal to be cooled, a cover providing a tightclosure for said container, means to fill said container with protectivegas, and meansy controlled by the vacuum within the container. forregulating the said supply of gas. v

2. An apparatus for cooling annealed metal, comprising a containeradapted to receive the metal to be cooled, a cover providing a tightclosure forsaid container, and means to lill said container withprotective gas, said means including a chamber containing a float andhaving a supply of liquid adapted when vaporized to supply the rotectlvegas, said supply'being controlle by said float and a passage connectingthe iioat chamber and said container, `said passa A including a si whonstructure whereby t e VJsupply of liqui to thecontainer is regulated bythedegree of vacuum therein.

, `3. An apparatus ,for cooling` annealed metal, comprisingfa containeradapted to receive the metal to be cooled, a cover having a liquid sealand providing a tight closure for said container, and means to fill saidcontainer withprotective gas, said means including a chamber containinga float, a re.

ccptacle Within the liquid of said liquid seal and containing-af liquidadapted when vaporized to supply"av'lprotective gas, said receptaclehaving ai discharge into said chamber and controlled by said float, andaconduit 'connectingfthe float chamber to said container and-including aSiphon structure -regulatino tainer unrder control um therein.

4. An apparatus for cooling annealed metal, comprising acontaineradapted to receive the metal `to be cooled, a cover providing a tightclosure for said container, a supply of vaporizable lprotective liquid oening `into said container near the bottom t iereof, a receptacle Withinsaid container in position for gatherin r theliquid delivered from saidsupply, and means controlled by the vacuum within the container forregulating the supply ot liquid thereto.

5. Apparatus for cooling and at the same time protecting annealed metal,comprising a chamber, means for exhaustinggas therefrom, means for. suplying a protective fluid to the chamber, an means controlled by theofthe degree of vacut-he supply -of liquid to the coni lating the supplyof said iuid. i

6. Apparatus for cooling and-at the sam time protecting annealed metal,comprising a chamber, means for exhausting gas there from, means for suaplyiiugi; a protective fluid to the chamber, an means controlled by thedegree of vacuum in the chamber for regulating the supply of said Huid,said means comprising a trap containing a liquid, supply and dischargepassages communicating with the trap, the discharge passage supplyingthe protecting iuid to the chamber, and the liquld level inthe trapbeing controlled by pressure differences affected bythe vacuum in thechamber to regulate the supply of the protective fluid.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

